Apparatus for spacing and straightening ties



Aug. 30, 1960 J. B. MCWILLIAMS 2, 50,687

APPARATUS FOR SPACING AND STRAIGHTENING TIES Filed Aug. 5, 1957 I 4Sheets-Shet l *1 ("T- i F"? 55 50 INVENTQR.

James 5. Mr: W/fl/ams H/S A 'TTOR/V E rs Aug, 30, 1960 J. B. M WILLiAMS2,950,687

APPARATUS FOR SPACING AND STRAIGHTENING TIES Filed Aug. 5, 1957 4Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ff James 5. Mr: Williams T BYk/gll 71/414+l$wldw Fig.3

HIS AT TORNE Y5 A g- 1960 J. B. M WILLIAMS APPARATUS FOR SPACING ANDSTRAIGHTENING TIES Filed Aug 5, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. James B.M: Williams 71% #flm HIS A TTOR/VEYS Aug. 30, 1966 J. B. M WlLLIAMS2,950,637 I APPARATUS FOR SPACING AND STRAIGHTEN ING TIES Filed Aug. 5,1957 PO ME N 4 She'ets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. James 8. Mr: Williams HISATTORNEYS 2,950,687 Patented Aug. 38, 1360 AFFARATUS non SPA'CING ANDSTRAIGHTEN- lNG TIES .l' B. McWilliams, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor toRailway Maintenance Corp Pittsburgh, Pa.

Filed Aug. 5, 1957, Ser. No. 676,067

1 Claim. (Cl. 1049) The present invention relates .to a method andapparatus for straightening and correctly spacing ties under railwayrails. This invention permits these operations to be carried out in aquick, efiicient and economical manner.

Railway ties are displaced by normal railway operation or other causesfrom their correctly spaced positions under the railway rails. It isnecessary that the ties be correctly spaced from each other to providean adequate support for the rails and also for the proper utilization oftrack ballast tamping machines such as shown in the U.S. patent toHursch, No. 2,734,464. Usually the displaced ties are returned to theircorrect positions by men using levers under the ties. This manualoperation is necessarily expensive and inefficient.

Several machines also have been developed to grip and move the ties totheir correct positions. These known machines are complicated, expensiveto build and cumbersome in operation. 7

My invention is a simple, inexpensive machine, easy to build, andrequires only one operator.

in the drawings, I have illustrated a present preferred embodiment of myinvention in which:

Figure l is a plan view of the tie straightening machine;

Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the tie straightening machine;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation View of the tie straightening machine;

Figure 4 is an enlarged side view of a pusher head arrangement (withparts removed for clarity);

Figure 5 is an enlarged plan view of a pusher head arrangement;

Figures 6 and 6A are enlarged plan views of part of a rail anchor;

Figure 7 is an enlarged plan view (partly in section) of part of amodified rail anchor;

Figure 8 is a cross section of part of the modified rail anchor taken online VHIVIII of Figure 7; and

Figure 9 is a schematic of a hydraulic system for the tie straighteningmachine.

Briefly, the present invention consists of a vehicle, movable alongrailway rails, having pusher head arrangements pivotally afiixed to eachside of the vehicle. Each pusher head arrangement consists of a pusherguide frame having a cross head movable therealong, a piston means tomove the cross head and a rail anchor. The frame, cross head, pistonmeans and anchor are movable vertically to position fingers, extendingfrom the cross head, on opposite sides of the ends of the tie to bemoved. The rail anchor is integral with the frame for locking the guidein a stationary position relative to the rail,

The vehicle has a frame consisting of longitudinally extending channels10 spaced from each other by transversely extending channels 11 to whichthe channels it) are welded. The firame is supported by wheels 12mounted on axles .13 rotatable in pillow blocks 14 affixed to theunderside of the frame.

A seat 15 is swivelly mounted at about the center of the frame. Acontrol desk 16 is affixed to a transversely extending angle 17 mountedabove the front edge of the frame by vertically extending angles 18welded to the front corners of the frame. The control desk 16 is withineasy reach of an operator seated on seat 15.

Conventional brake mechanisms 19 are provided on each of the four wheels12 to move brake shoes into contact with the wheels 12 to stop themotion of the vehicle or maintain the vehicle stationary after beingstopped. Any well-known type of hand or foot oper vated, hydraulic ormechanical, brake mechanism may be used on the vehicle.

An internal combustion engine 20 is mounted on the rear of the frame anddrives two pumps 21 which supply pressurized fluid to hydrauliccylinders to be described hereinafter. An oil reservoir 23 is mounted onthe rear of the frame to supply fluid to the pumps 21 to be pressurized.

Vertical extending angles 24 are welded to the channels 16 and .11 atthe rear corners of the frame and are braced by diagonally extendingmetal plates 25 as shown in Figure 3. Welded to the upper end of each ofthe angles 24 is an angle 26 having one long leg extending outwardlyfrom the side of the angle 24. A pair of ears 28 are welded to the lowersurface of the outwardly extending leg of each angle 26. The earspivotally support rear lift cylinders 29 by a pin 30 which passesthrough the ears 28 and through a swivel connection 3 1 welded to theupper end of cylinder 29. The lifting mechanisms and pusher headarrangements are identical on each side of the vehicle; therefore, onlyone side will be described herein. A piston rod 32 extends downwardlyfrom the cylinder 29 and is pivotally connected to a rail anchor by apin 33 which passes through the lower end of the piston rod 32 andthrough ears 34 welded to a rail anchor bar 35. The rail anchor bar 35is a horizontally extending plate, bent slightly downward, having twoparallel spaced bars 36 welded to its lower surface. The bars 36 arespaced a sufficient distance apart such that when the rail anchor islowered, the bars 36 straddle a rail R, as shown in Figures 3 and 5. Thebars 36 extend a sufl'lcient distance down the side of the rail R toallow adequate contact between .the bar and the rail insuring a properlocking of the bar to the rail during the tie straightening operation.If the bars 36 are too close to the rail R, the bars will slide alongthe rail rather than locking onto it in the manner to be describedhereinafter. If the bars 36 are too far from the rail R, the anchor willbe lifted from its position on the rail when an attempt is made .to lockthe anchor to the rail R. Therefore, the bars 36 must have a controlledclearance with the rail to operate properly.

The bar 35 is bent slightly downward and its outermost end is pivotallyconnected by a pin 36:: to a yoke 37 which is welded to the rear of apusher guide frame which guides a cross head. The frame consists of twoparallel guide plates 38 having slots 39 therein extending a substantialdistance along their lengths, as shown in Figure 4. The plates 38 aremaintained in spaced relationship by yoke 37 and plates 40 which arewelded between the plates 38. v

The slot 39 is maintained at a constant width by plates 48 which arewelded to smaller inner plates 49 which in turn are welded to guideplates 38. Two plates 49 are welded in position on the outside of eachplate 38 one above the slot '39 and one below the slot 39; and theplates 48 are welded to plates 49 in spaced relationship to the guideplates 38 and such that they span the slot 39. This arrangement permitsthe cross head to move to the end of guides 38 in a manner to bedescribed hereinafter.

The forward ends of the guide plates 38 are raised and lowered by afront lift cylinder 43. Plates 42, welded to the underside of angle 17;,pivotally support the upper end of cylinder 43 by a pin 44 passingthrough plates 42 and through aswivel connection on the cylinder. Apiston rod 45 extends downwardly from cylinder 43 and is pivotallyconnected at its lower end to cars 47 by a pin46 which passes throughcars 47 and piston rod 45. The ears 47 are welded to plates 40. U

A pusher cylinder 50 is pivotally connected at its rear end to the yoke37 by a pin 51. A piston rod 52 extends .from the front of the pushercylinder 50 and is connected to a crosshead consisting of two parallelside plates 53 maintained in spaced relationship by bars 54 weldedtherebetween. A connector bar 55 is welded between the plates 53 andpiston rod 52 is rigidly attached to the bar. Shafts 56 are mountedthrough plates 53' and have rollers 57 rotatably' mounted on their ends.The inner ends of the rollers are flanged and the outer ends arepositioned in'and movable along the slots 39 to maintain the cross headin a path parallel to the plates 58. 'When the cross head is moved inthe front part of the slots 39 (-left portion of Figures 4 and therollers .57 require outside clearance to pass along the slots and thusit is necessary that the plates 48 be spaced outwardly from the guideplates 38 as described above. Two circular fingers 58 having taperedlower ends are welded to the cross head and extend in a downwarddirection as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

Figures 7 and 8 show a modified form of rail anchor in which the bars 36have a hole 36b drilled in each end thereof and tapped to provideinternal screw threads. Allen socket head set screws 36c and 36d arethreaded into each hole. Inside set screws 360 can be threaded inwardlytoward each other at the ends of bars 36 to allow sufiicient spacebetween them to accommodate rail R. The heads on the rails may vary thusnecessitating the adjustability of the anchor. The set screws 36d arethreaded in tight behind set screws 36a to lock them at any desiredsetting. Thus, set screws 360 can be adjusted' and locked for a spacingbetween them to fit various size rails =R. Furthermore, the bars36normally wear due to abrasion against rail R; however, the set screws36c provide the only contact between the modifled rail anchor and thesides of rail R, thus any wear is-limited to the set screws which areeasily replaceable.

Numerous types of replaceable wear plates or inserts can be used inplace of the set screws 36c but all'such plates or inserts are merelythe equivalent of the set screws and, therefore, are not describedherein.

, Hydraulic system The hydraulic system for the'tie straightener, asshown in Figure 9, includes an'engine 20 which operates hydraulicpumps 21.- The pumps draw fluid from the reservoir 23 through line 60, passingit through filters 2.2. Thefluid isfpress-urized in the pumps andtransmitted through lines 61 and '62 to multi-unit valves located oncontrol desk 16." The multi-unit valves are a well known constructionhaving built-inrelief' valves and three operating positions: the firstposition directs fluid along one path, the second position directs fluidalong a second path and the third or neutral position closes passingt-hefluid to the reservoir 23 to be again pressurized by pumps 2i.

'.Tf thei valve 64 is manually moved to its second posi .tioif,pressurized fluid passes through line 67 and 1110-1 tivates the motor 66in a direction opposite to the direction in which the motor moved whenthe fluid was directed through line 65. The line 65 thus functions as areturn line. Consequently, the vehicle can be moved forward or backward.

The left multi-unit valve 63 has a second valve 69 which suppliespressurized fluid through a line 70 to the left front and rear'lif-tcylinders,;43 and 29 respectively, to move the piston rods upwardly inthe cylinders. In its second position, valve 69 supplies pressurizedfluid through a line 71 to the upper end of the left front and rear liftcylindersto move the pistonrod in a downward direction. Fluid isreturned to the valve 69 through the lines 70 or 71 and is passedthrough the return line 68 to the reservoir 23.

A third valve 72 in the left multi-unit valve 63 admits pressurizedfluid through a line 73 to the left pusher cylinder 50 to move pistonrod 52 to the right, 'as shown in Figure 9'. i

If the valve 7 2 is moved to its second position,'pres surized fluid isadmitted through line 74 to the opposite end of the left pusher cylinder50 and moves piston rod 52 to the left, as shown in Figure 9 Fluid isreturned to valve 72 through lines 73 or 74 and transmitted to reservoir23 by line 68.

The right multi-unit valve 75 has a valve 76 which directs pressurizedfiuid through line 65 and thereby boosts the pressurized fluid suppliedto the hydraulic motor 63 to increase the speed of the vehicle. In itssecond position, the valve 76 directs pressurized fluid through line 67to the hydraulic motor 66 and thereby increases the speed of thevehiclein a reverse direction. Fluid is returned through lines 65 or 67 tovalve 76 and transmitted through line 77 to reservoir 23 to bepressurized again by pumps 21. y

A second valve 78 in right multi-unit valve 75 admits pressurized fluidthrough a line 79 to the right front and rear lift cylinders, 43 and 29respectively, to move the piston rods downward inthe cylinders. In itssecond position, valve 78 admits pressurized fluid through line 80 tothe lower end of the right front and rear lift cylinders to move thepiston rods upwardly in the cylinders.

V Fluid is returned to valve 78 through lines 79 or 84 and Operation Thevehicle isymoved forward by actuating valves 64 and/or 76 to thelocation of the tie T which is to be straightened'and correctly spaced;Either or both ends of the tie T may be pushed or pulled by the pusherhead arr angements'oneach sideof the vehicle; however, for the presentillustration, only the .left pusher head arrange- V. ment operation isdescribed. Uponarriving at thetdisplaced tie, the vehicle brakes areapplied to maintain the vehicle stationary; the fingers -58 of the leftpusher head arran ement are applied'approximately above the ends of thetie T. The valve'69 is then manually operated to admit pressurized fluidto the left front and rear 11a cylinders 29 and 43 to move th'e leftpusher head arrange- 35 contacts rail R and bars 36 straddle rail R asshown in Figure 3.

The valve 72 is then actuated to move the piston rod 52 on the leftpusher cylinder 50 toward the left in Figures 1 and 2; thereby pushingthe left cross head, fingers 58 and the tie T toward the left in Figure1 to straighten and correctly operate tie T. The rollers 57 maintain thecross head in a straight path during this pushing operation.

The rail anchor is locked to rail R upon the initial movement of leftrear fingers 58 into contact with tie T. The piston rod 52 and cylinder50 exert a rearward force on pin 36a which in turn exerts a turningforce on bar 35. The pin connections between plate 35 and piston rod 32and between cylinder 29 and ears 28 allow sufficient movement to permitthe outer end of plate 35 to move rearwardly to bring a front edge ofthe bar 36 inside rail R and the rear edge of the bar 36 outside rail Rinto contact with the rail as shown in Figure 6A. The bars 36 therebylock the rail anchor rigidly to the rail R to prevent slidingtherealong. Thus the application of a force parallel to the rail by thecylinder 50 automatically annd rigidly locks the pusher head arrangementon the rail.

When the front finger 58 is in contact with the tie and the piston rod52 exerts a pulling force thereon, rather than a pushing force as above,the bar 35 moves in a forward direction and the bars 36 lock the pusherhead arrangement to the rail as shown in Figure 6. In this instance, thefront edge of the bar 36 outside rail R and the rear edge of the bar 36inside rail R contact the rail to lock the pusher head arrangement tothe rail.

In both the pushing and pulling operations described above, the bars 36,locked to the rail, furnish a rigid base from which cylinder 50 andpiston rod 52 can exert a force to move the tie T. The force exerted bycylinder 54) is substantially horizontal and parallel to rail R.

After the tie has been straightened and correctly spaced, the piston rod52 is moved in a reverse direction, if necessary, to relieve thepressure of finger 58 against the tie. Valve 69 is then moved to asecond position to actuate piston rods 45 and 32 in the left front andrear cylinders upwardly to raise the rail anchor and cross head fromcontact with the rail and tie respectively. The vehicle is then moved ina forward or backward direction to the next tie to be straightened andthe above procedure repeated.

While I have described a present preferred embodiment of my invention,it is to be understood that it may be otherwise embodied within thescope of the following claim.

I claim:

Apparatus for positioning ties by exertion of a transverse force on theties, comprising a vehicle for traveling on rails extending over theties, a pusher guide frame positioned longitudinally along each side ofthe vehicle, first power means affixed to and between each frame andsaid vehicle to raise and lower the frame, each frame being pivotallyafiixed to the lower end of the first power means; said first powermeans being pivotally affixed at its upper end to said vehicle, theaforesaid pivotal connections being such that said first power means andframe are freely swingable only longitudinally of the vehicle and rails,said frame being in the proximity of the tie to be positioned when theframe is in the lowered position, a piston and cylinder mounted on theframe and having a longitudinally extendable and retractable piston rod;longitudinal guides integral with said frame; a cross head aflixed tosaid piston rod and movable in a reciprocal path along said guides uponactuation of said piston rod, movement of said cross head beingsubstantially horizontal and longitudinal of the vehicle; a plurality ofspaced stationary fingers afixed to and depending downwardly from saidcross head, one of said fingers being normally located on each side ofthe tie to be positioned such that movement of said cross head in eitherlongitudinal direction causes one of the fingers to engage and move saidtie fore and aft of the vehicle; an anchor afiixed to and movablevertically with said frame; said anchor including an inverted U- shapedmember which is moved into straddling contact with a rail when saidframe is in the lowered position, portions of said U-shaped memberextending down each side of the rail and having a controlled clearancerelative to the rail; said anchor being a double-directional brake sothat upon actuation of said piston rod in either longitudinal directionand engagement of one of the fingers with a tie, a horizontal turningforce is applied to the anchor to move said portions of the U-shapedmember into engagement with the rail thereby locking the anchor andframe stationary relative to the rail and said anchor providing a rigidbase for exertion of said transverse force on the tie and to avoidtransmission of the transverse force to said vehicle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,103,726 Young July 14, 1914 1,220,319 Cassel Mar. 27, 1917 1,522,788Moltz Jan. 13, 1925 2,596,823 Richardson May 13, 1952 2,696,971Philbrick Dec. 14, 1954 2,818,820 Williams Jan. 7, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS435,159 Germany Oct. 8, 1926 448,700 Germany Aug. 26, 1927

